“I learned today that I am not alone in my thoughts, that I am supported and that my voice is important”
88 adult learners from Waterford and Wexford came together at The Tower Hotel in Waterford City at a regional meeting of the National Further Education and Training (FET) Learner Forum. Learners came together to share their personal experiences of Further Education and Training and suggested improvements to ensure learners thrive in a further education setting.
During the Forum, participants expressed concerns about facilities at some FET training centres, including lack of internet access and cold classrooms. Additionally, securing meaningful work experience was identified as an issue amongst those attending work-based courses. However, learners were keen to highlight the welcoming atmosphere of FET, the encouraging nature of their tutors and excellent support for those with specific learning difficulties.
The National FET Learner Forum is a collaborative effort between AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation; SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority; and Education and Training Boards. This meeting was one of a series of regional meetings that will take place across the country this year. Last year, thousands of learners across Ireland shared their experience of learning through the Forum.
Learners who attended this event said they loved having the chance to share their views on education and learn about the variety of courses offered by their ETB, “I really enjoyed hearing about other people’s experiences and to meet people of all cultures”.
Rosalind Threadgold, Access and Inclusion Officer with WWETB, also expressed how valuable forums like this are for them: “This Forum will help us to understand what we are doing well, to make positive changes, and to have learner voice at the centre of what we do, informing our practice in Further Education and Training provision in WWETB.”
If you are thinking of going back to education, you can find further information on www.aontas.com. You can also check out the range of programmes available at the Waterford and Wexford Educational Training Board https://www.wwetb.ie/fet/course-finder/
